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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24971011">This Side of Six Feet Under</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/countessofcasualty/pseuds/countessofcasualty'>countessofcasualty</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Beetlejuice (1988)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Eventual Romance, F/M, Five Years Later, Lydia is 21, Slow Burn, influences of the cartoon and musical can be seen if you squint, movie verse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 00:33:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,561</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24971011</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/countessofcasualty/pseuds/countessofcasualty</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After being released from the waiting room five years later, with little fanfare, Beetlejuice returns to the land of the living only to find he's been bound. His freedom is dependant on Lydia, and her freedom is dependant on what she does next. Navigating marriage is hard enough, but being married to a dead guy?  For Better or Worse, Lydia made a deal with the devil and it's time to pay up. </p>
<p>Updates Weekly!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Beetlejuice &amp; Lydia Deetz, Beetlejuice/Lydia Deetz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Shadow of Guilt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Chapter One: Shadow of Guilt</span><br/>
<em>Remember, I'm Caught Beneath With Nothing Left To Give, Forever. </em><br/>
<em>- Angels Fall, Breaking Benjamin</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t know how long he’d been in the waiting room, time worked differently in the Neitherworld, after all. When he was finally released, it was with little fanfare. Just a quick ‘You can go’ from Miss Argentina after a phone call from fuck knows where. So he’d snapped his fingers and had returned to… wherever he was now. He checked himself, patting himself down before checking the dimensions of his head. All normal. Then he looked around, where was he? It was dark, but the light from the moon illuminated shapes and shadows in the room. He frowned, was he aboveground? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Confused, he turned and found a mirror behind him. It was currently reflecting back into his room at the roadhouse and his frown deepened. He was definitely aboveground. But… where? He looked back to the room and squinted a little, noticing a form carved out of the blankets on the large bed in the middle of the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Curious, he walked over to it and peered over the pillows. His eyes got a little wider as he vaguely recognized the sleeping face of Lydia Deetz. He was at the Maitlands? Why in the fuck was he here? It was the last place he wanted to be, why had the juice taken him here? She looked different, older but still retaining youth. So he hadn’t been in the waiting room </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> long. Maybe a few years? But </span>
  <em>
    <span>why</span>
  </em>
  <span> was he </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span>? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lydia shifted in her sleep and rolled over toward him, throwing her arm out and letting it hang over the side of the bed. A glint in the moonlight caught his eye and he lifted an eyebrow, kneeling down to inspect her left hand where he found a ring. </span>
  <em>
    <span>His</span>
  </em>
  <span> ring. Now that, that was </span>
  <em>
    <span>interesting</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He looked at it for a moment before turning his gaze to his bride, studying her face in the moonlight. What was she now? Twenty? Twenty-one? Well, no matter. The con hadn’t worked, he was still dead. Barbara had made sure of that. He stood back up and glanced around, still wondering why his juice had brought him here but brushed it off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If he was allowed Aboveground, he’d make the most of it. He lifted his hand and snapped his fingers, but appeared back in the roadhouse. He glanced around and then looked at his hand, shaking his head a little. He snapped again and was back in Lydia’s room. He tried a few more times and ended up, every time, back in her room. He could teleport to other haunts in the Neitherworld, but every time he tried Aboveground, it was always Lydia’s room. He growled in frustration and stared hard at the girl. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was he bound to her? Was he bound to the ring? Why was he bound to this fuck-forsaken house? He decided to go back to the Roadhouse and try his mirror, which still worked as normally as it ever did. He could influence it to look through any reflective surface Aboveground, but it seemed his Juice had turned against him. He could assume that he had been bound to the Maitland-Deetz house, maybe specifically to the ring that he’d given Lydia, maybe just to the girl herself. It would require further investigation. Frustrated, he glared through the mirror into her room seeing sunlight begin to shoot it’s rays into the darkness that her bedroom seemed to maintain. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a few hours later when Lydia’s alarm went off and Beetlejuice watched as her ringed hand lazily lifted and swat at it before falling back off the side of the bed. It stayed there for a few minutes before Lydia slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes sleepily as they squinted in the early morning sunlight. She sat up in her bed, her black sheets pooling in her lap and stared forward as she tried to orient herself to awakeness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked around after a few moments, her dark eyes tired and pale skin glowing in the sunlight. Beetlejuice watched, rapt in the view. Damn, she was gorgeous. He’d always thought she was, but seeing her just waking up with her hair mussed and sleepiness still clinging to her, in her old t-shirt that hung off one shoulder… he knew how to pick ‘em. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a knock on Lydia’s door and she turned to look at it, the long column of her neck stretched and Beetlejuice felt entranced. “Come in.” came her soft, sleep rattled voice, and he watched as the door opened and Lydia’s step-mother came into the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good morning, Birthday girl.” she greeted happily, “Just wanted to make sure you heard your alarm.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Regretfully,” Lydia responded with a small smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Delia placed her hands on her hips, “You should be excited, it’s not every day you turn twenty-one.” there was no malice in her positioning or her words, just amusement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am</span>
  </em>
  <span> excited.” Lydia corrected, “Just not about waking up.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, why don’t you go ahead and get ready? Barbara said she’s going to make breakfast for you. And I’m sure your father wants to see you before you head off to school.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will do.” Lydia said with a nod, and Delia nodded and turned, leaving the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lydia stretched her arms above her head and crawled out of her bed, stretching again when her feet hit the floor. Her black pajama bottoms slid across the floor as she made her way to the mirror, sinking down in front of it and rubbing her face. She opened her eyes and unknowingly looked directly into Beetlejuice’s. She looked down at her hand and lifted it, the ring on her ring finger sparkling in the sunlight. She shook her head and slipped it off her hand, inspecting it in the sunlight before ritually wrapping it in a piece of cloth and tucking it into a hidden corner of her jewelry box before standing from the vanity and disappearing from the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Beetlejuice had watched the interaction and found himself staring at the jewelry box nestled against the mirror. He didn’t know what to make of this strange, beautiful girl that he was seemingly bound to. Why would she keep the ring? Why would she take such care of it? He shook his head, maybe she was unwell in the head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Regardless, it’d be a good time for him to test the juice again. He lifted his hand and snapped, finding himself in the bathroom. He stood behind Lydia, who was washing her hands at the sink. She bent over the sink and began to wash her face and Beetlejuice took the moment to slip through the door and into the hallway. So, he should have free reign of the house. He was standing in the middle of the hallway when Charles walked through him. He frowned and watched as the event had little to no effect on Chuck. He followed him as he heard the water shut off in the bathroom and turned the corner to go down the stairs before Lydia exited the bathroom. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Charles couldn’t see him, neither could Delia, but it was the Maitlands obliviousness to him that threw him a curveball. Usually the dead weren’t oblivious to other dead people. But there they were, in the kitchen chatting with no idea the ghoul was in their presence. He snapped and returned to the Roadhouse, peering through the mirror into Lydia’s room and finding her half-dressed in black shorts and a black bra, going through her drawers to find a shirt. He appreciated the view for a moment before she turned, t-shirt in hand. They briefly made eye contact before she turned away before she stopped and whipped back to the mirror. She stared at it for a long moment, dark eyes wide. She was breathing hard, face flushed. She shook her head and tugged her t-shirt over her head, walking closer to the mirror. She reached out and gently placed her fingertips against it, and Beetlejuice smirked sending a shock through the mirror that had her yelp and yank her hand back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lydia?” came Barbara’s voice from downstairs. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just a minute!” she called back, staring at her mirror in shock. She shook her head and backed away from it, grabbing her makeup from the vanity and hurrying out of the room. She went to the bathroom and applied her makeup with shaking hands, knowing that she couldn’t have seen what she just saw. It had to be a coincidence, Beetlejuice was dead… wasn’t he? Eaten by a sandworm. She’d seen it. She took a shuddering breath and tried to calm herself down. When she was satisfied with her face she left her makeup in the bathroom, knowing Delia would fuss at her later, but not wanting to go back into her room. She hurried downstairs and decided she’d keep her little hallucination to herself… for now. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Even In Death</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Chapter Two: Even in Death<br/></span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Still can't find what keeps me here, When all this time I've been so hollow inside, I know you're still there" - Haunted, Evanescence </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lydia hopped off the bottom stair and headed into the kitchen, where she was greeted with a collective, “Happy Birthday!” She jumped a little, then laughed while shaking her head, “Guys, come on, it’s just another day.” she dismissed but accepted the hug that was coming her way from Adam. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s your twenty-first birthday, hardly just another day,” he said kindly, hugging her tightly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not a big deal.” she disagreed, but she was smiling from ear to ear, ghostly apparition in her mirror forgotten. She walked over to the table and leaned down to give her dad a hug before taking her seat at the table. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, what’s the plan for the day?” Charles asked, folding his newspaper to look at his only child. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Class, and then I think Bertha and Prudence are taking me out for a while, then home to work on my project. No biggie,” she said with a shrug as Barbara served her breakfast and leaned down to hug her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Taking you out, huh?” Charles said, looking at her, “Are you planning on drinking?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Charles, she’s more than allowed to drink on her twenty-first,” Delia said with an amused grin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just want her to be careful, it can be dangerous.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dad, come on, how much trouble can I get in in </span>
  <em>
    <span>Peaceful Pines</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Lydia said with an eye-roll as she began to eat her breakfast. “I might have a drink or two, just to say I did it, but it’s not exactly on my agenda. Besides, I doubt being drunk in a dark room is a good idea.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, regardless, be careful.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure the girls will take good care of her,” Barbara said as she lay a plate down in front of Charles and then Delia before sitting down at the table beside Adam. The Maitlands didn’t have to eat, but they liked to hang out for family meals, especially on big days like today. Even despite what Lydia claimed, today was a big day. Twenty-one, full-fledged adulthood. Most people her age would have a rager planned, a lot of her friends intended to get wasted on their twenty-first, but Lydia didn’t have any interest in that. She’d been drunk before, a time or two, and she just didn’t enjoy it like she supposed she should have. No, a few drinks with her few friends would be enough to get tipsy and actually enjoy her birthday. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Breakfast was wonderful, the conversation flowing naturally around Lydia’s plans and what they might do as a family later in the day. But somewhere in the conversation, Lydia’s thoughts went back to the reflection she’d seen in the mirror earlier in the day and she grew quieter. Maybe she had just imagined it. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d randomly thought of him in her waking hours. Usually, her thoughts of him came at night when she was alone and feeling particularly lonely. There was always a bit of fear that circulated with those thoughts, that he’d show back up and wish her harm for what had happened. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her thoughts then went to her mirror, they’d purchased it from a thrift shop some years ago, not long after the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Events</span>
  </em>
  <span> that had led to the formation of her weird little family. She’d been so drawn to it and so immediately attached that she had refused to leave without it. So, reluctantly, it had been purchased for her. Delia offered to refinish it, as did Adam, but Lydia refused to let anyone else touch it. It had a unique charm to it, as out of place as it was in her bedroom. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lydia?” Barbara said gently, “You okay, sweetie?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh?” Lydia said, drawn out of her thoughts by the gentle sound of Barbara’s voice, </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah I’m fine just… thinking.” Before they could question her further, she glanced at the clock, “I’ve gotta get going. Don’t wanna be late.” she said as she wiped her mouth with the napkin, “Thanks for breakfast, Barb.” she said as she stood, leaning down and kissing Barbara’s cheek before she hurried to grab her coat, bag, and camera. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re welcome!” Barbara called back as Lydia rushed for the door, but the concern was clear in her voice. Silence fell over the table as the front door opened and closed. The adults all shared glances before Delia spoke.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, that was strange.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s been doing that more and more lately. Do you think something’s wrong?” Adam asked, glancing at Barbara then Charles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think she’s just worried about that project, she’s been working so hard on it,” Barbara says, but there’s a concern in her voice like she doesn’t quite believe what she’s saying. “I think going out with her friends will be good for her tonight.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I agree.” Delia says with a nod, lifting her coffee cup to her lips, “I’ve always said she needs to go out more.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s a homebody, nothing wrong with that.” Adam defends but there’s no heat behind it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d rather her be home than out getting into trouble.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A little trouble would be good for her.” Delia argues, looking at her husband, “Keeps things interesting.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barbara shakes her head with a small smile and stands, beginning to clear the table.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no, none of that!” Delia waves her down, “You cooked, we clean.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And just like that, the conversation about their collective daughter is over and the day moves on. Adam goes back to his models, Barbara goes about cleaning, Delia goes to sculpting, and Charles goes to his office to get some work done. Lydia attends her classes at the university two towns over and spends the hours between classes snapping pictures around campus.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s after her last class of the day when she meets up with her friends at a local bar back in Peaceful Pines. The three girls attended separate colleges but refused to give up their friendship. They chatted about classes and significant others, they ordered a few drinks and laughed. They were an odd bunch, but they were Lydia’s odd bunch and she had always appreciated their oddness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about you, Lydia? Any new boys, or girls, in your life?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lydia laughed and shook her head, “When would I have time for that?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We find the time.” Bertha replies with a smirk, “You could too if it was even on your radar.” she teased. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” Lydia shrugged, “It’s not.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, my mom always says that you’ve gotta be aware of things like that, cause before you know it you blink and you’re fifty,” Prudence says.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just don’t… find anyone interesting? Everyone’s so obsessed with being </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal</span>
  </em>
  <span> and it just gets so boring.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her friends look sympathetic and nod, Prudence was the only one with a steady relationship, Bertha had the tendency to jump from relationship to relationship but was currently single after a minor intervention from her friends. Lydia on the other hand never dated, sure she’d meet someone occasionally and have coffee or something, but no one seemed to keep her interest for more than a few days. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It just boiled down to the fact that no one was weird enough for her, and she refused to tone herself down for anyone. The girls continued to chat for a while longer before Lydia glanced at the time on her phone, “Gosh, it’s getting late, I really need to get home.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aw, come on, it’s your birthday!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, Lydia, live a little.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have that project that I have to finish, it’s worth the majority of my grade and I’m not sure I’m not just going to have to reshoot it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you not developed the photos?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Been procrastinating, I just don’t feel like they’re going to turn out the way I want them to.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girls nodded in understanding, “Well, before you go-” Prudence began and Bertha pulled out a black gift bag with red sparkling tissue paper shoved into the top. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Guys, I said no gifts!” Lydia said as she took the bag.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We know, but it’s perfect for you, and we couldn’t not give you something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Other than the fact we’re paying for your drinks, of course.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Lydia said earnestly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, go on, open it!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lydia smiled and pried the taped black bag open and pulled out the tissue paper. Inside she found a new camera bag, equipped with enough room for all of her additional belongings. She’d be able to carry her whole set up with her without carrying multiple bags and that was such a gift, but what gave her pause was the color scheme. Black and white. Stripes. She blinked a few times and swallowed, staring at the pattern as memories flickered in the back of her mind like an old movie. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you like it?” Prudence asks at the silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Yes, yes of course I do!” Lydia says smiling as she looks up at her friends, “Really, I do, I -- You guys didn’t have to do this.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We wanted to, you’ve been carrying around the same bags since we were in high school, it’s time for a change.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And if you don’t like how it looks, the gift receipt is in there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s perfect,” she waved Prudence off, “Thank you guys, so much.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girls smiled at her and nodded, “You still gonna ditch us?” Bertha asked in a teasing tone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know I wouldn’t if I didn’t have to,” Lydia replied as she slid the bag carefully back into the gift bag, “But how about a photo shoot, I need an excuse to use my new bag.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Deal.” Bertha agreed with a laugh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Next weekend, maybe?” Prudence suggested, “We can have a sleepover like old times.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah!” Lydia agreed enthusiastically, remembering all the nights in high school they spent playing with her cameras and watching creepy movies. “It’s totally a date.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sweet.” Bertha says with a nod, “Now go develop your pictures, you slacker.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lydia laughed and gathered her things, hugging each of her friends before leaving the bar. Thanking them profusely for the gifts and the quality time. She grabbed a cab back to her house and was feeling the effects of the alcohol she’d imbibed by the time she unlocked the front door and slipped inside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She could hear rather heated voices coming from the living room, and she could smell cigarette smoke almost immediately after entering her home. “Guys?” she asked curiously, she didn’t think they were having anyone over and she prayed to whatever was listening that it wasn’t a surprise party. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She rounded the corner into the living room and stopped. There was a woman she’d never seen before standing in the middle of the room, a cigarette between her fingers and smoke seeping out of the large gash across her neck. Lydia inhaled and looked to Barbara and Adam, “What’s going on?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lydia, my name is Juno, I’m the Maitlands case manager,” she said, moving and offering her hand to the young woman.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lydia took it with a trembling hand, “It’s about </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> isn’t it?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Juno sighed, “You should sit down,” she said with a grim nod before taking a drag of her cigarette, “I’m afraid this isn’t going to be pleasant.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Heyy look at that! I updated on time! </p>
<p>Also, thank you so much for all the support. The comments and kudos definitely help keep this going, so thank you again.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Sit There and Rot</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Chapter Three: </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You asked me how long I'd stay by your side. So I answered with only just one reply, Till the casket drops.” - Til the Casket Drops, ZZ Ward</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m afraid the marriage between you and</span>
  <em>
    <span> him</span>
  </em>
  <span> was binding.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lydia sat on the couch next to Barbara while Adam paced behind them, Delia sat on the other side of Lydia and Charles sat in his chair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Binding?!” Adam exclaimed, “What kind of bullshit is that?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adam!” Barbara admonished, before she looked up at Juno, “This can’t be right.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m afraid so,” Juno said, tapping the cigarette with her finger.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But he was eaten by a sandworm! I thought that killed ghosts.” Barbara said, shaking her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Normal ghosts, yes. He is no normal ghost, he’s a ghoul. Completely different beast and much harder to kill. All </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> did was send him back to the waiting room.” Juno explained. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But she didn’t say any vows!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She bound herself to it when she made the deal initially.” Juno shook her head, “Consent was given that she’d marry him, that was, unfortunately, all he needed from her. All he needed to do was give his consent, and it was a binding contract, so to speak.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now, there must be something we can do, some loophole we can use to our advantage.” Charles said, “The vows are til death do you part, death has technically already separated them.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He was dead when he made the vow,” Juno says as she looks at Charles, “It cancels the other out, trust me I’ve spent the past five years trying to find a loophole. There is none. The fact of the matter is, she made a deal with the devil and it’s time to pay up.” she turned back to Lydia who was looking at her with wide eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why now?” Lydia asked, a desperate tremor in her voice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Juno sighed, sympathetic for the poor girl, and walked over, sitting down on the coffee table in front of her, “You’re an adult now, Lydia. I held him in the waiting room as long as I could, I should have released him when you turned 18 but I held him longer to give you as much freedom as I could, but the time has come to pay your dues.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lydia took a shuddering breath in as tears started to prickle the corner of her eyes. She pressed her lips together and looked away, staring into the fireplace. Juno took a drag on her cigarette before extinguishing it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, there is some good news.” she says, taking Lydia’s hand, “Right now, he’s trapped between worlds. He’s still very, very powerful but it’s limited to you. You have the power here, not him. You can summon him, you can banish him to the Neitherworld. He’s bound to you. Which unfortunately means you can’t get rid of him, but it does mean you have the say when he gets out or if he gets out. As long as you’re one of the living, you have the power here.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And when I’m not?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You become bound to him in the Neitherworld, I’m afraid there will be no moving on for you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lydia takes a breath in, looking like she might burst into tears, “I need a minute.” she said, pulling her hand from Juno’s and bolting from the couch, rushing up the stairs. Her bedroom is a welcome sight and she slams the door harder than she intended as she throws herself against it. She slams her hand down against the wood and closes her eyes, resting her head against the cool wood, resisting the urge to scream. No one comes after her, there’s no knock on the door, no call of her name. She knows, in the back of her mind, that they’re all remaining in the living room, working with Juno to try to find some way out of this, but she knows there is no way out of this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s suddenly very angry, it bubbles in her chest and she growls, spinning around and staring into the emptiness of her room. “Where are you?” she sneers, dark eyes searching every corner. The lighting in the room grows dim and a green glow emanates from the mirror of her vanity. She stalks over to it and sinks down into the chair before the mirror and stares into it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s just her reflection for a moment before it begins to shimmer. She narrows her eyes and takes a sharp breath in, “Beetlejuice.” she snaps. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The mirror shudders and then it snaps into focus and there he is, looking a bit surprised. He lifts his chin then lowers it, eyes moving up and down over her, sizing her up. “At your service,” he says, bowing his head a little. “How’s it goin’, babes?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you ‘babes’ me.” she snaps, pointing at him, “You fucked me over.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, by all means, I fucked myself over here.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How do we get out of this?” she demands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There</span>
  <em>
    <span> is</span>
  </em>
  <span> no way outta this, babes, there’s no such thing as divorce lawyers down here.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It didn’t even work, you’re still dead. Why is it still binding?” she ranted rhetorically, standing and throwing her hands up in the air, “This is fucking ridiculous.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You agreed to it, babes. I don’t know what you want me to do about it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You blackmailed me into it!” she snapped back around to face him, “My friends were going to die forever! And you held that over my head to get what you wanted! I was sixteen! I was an easy target and you took advantage of that!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah? And?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow at her. “What do you want me to do about it now?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She dropped her arms and glared at him, “Nothing.” she growled, “I want you to sit there and rot.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Way ahead of you, babes.” he lifted a hand and paused, “But remember, you’re still my ticket out,” then he snapped and her room returned to normal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lydia?” the door to her bedroom opened, “Honey, we heard yelling,” Barbara said gently as she came into the room, gently placing her hands on Lydia’s arms, as Adam surveyed the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fine, I was just… Is Juno gone?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, sweetie. She said she’d keep looking for a loophole, but she couldn’t promise anything.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” Adam asked, coming up to her other side and placing a hand on her shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll be alright.” Lydia said, glancing at her mirror then up at Adam, “I’m just married to a demon, what’s the worst that could happen?” she asked, eyes dead and face frowning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adam’s shoulders sagged and he looked to Barbara, who looked at him with desperation on her face. He sighed and tugged Lydia toward him, wrapping her up in a hug and kissing the top of her head. Holding her for a long time until Barbara stepped in and held her too. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Another week, another update! I am on a roll!</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your continued support, all of your comments and kudos really do keep me motivated to continue writing! Keep em coming! </p>
<p>Special thanks to Zepp this week for keeping Lydia at the forefront of my mind and to my twin, countofcasualty, for being awesome and supportive. </p>
<p>Looking forward to next week!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for reading! </p>
<p>Updates will be posted sporadically at best, but I'm aiming for weekly, we'll see if I get into a rhythm.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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